KAIROS

Vision Fast

Asterousias Gebirge, Southern Crete

A Buddhist Vision Quest

Friday, May 21 - Wednesday, June 2, 2027

This year my colleague and soulmate Natasha Lythgoe came back from a monthlong silent buddhist retreat. She took with her the idea, the insight, the vision of a "Buddhist Vision Quest". And a lot of interest and curiosity from her buddhist community.

As Natasha is an ordinated buddhist nun and a Rites-of-Passage guide as well, I leave the words to announce this coming experience to her:

How this Buddhist Vision Quest came into being:
A Personal Journey

In March I returned home after two months of living life in slow motion, on an almost silent meditation retreat. This gifted me with a coming-together and a still-emerging-understanding of how ‘Nature of Mind’ within Buddhist practice might meet solo time on the land, in forms such as vision quests and spiritual fasting in nature.

During the retreat, there was some interest from others:

Would I co-guide a Vision Quest for Buddhists?

That question stayed with me.

For reasons I don’t fully understand, my path into vision fasts and quests over the past decade has felt largely separate from my Buddhist practice.

It has been clear that both invite a profound experience of interconnectedness and communion with a sacred dimension of life.

This proposed quest is open to Buddhists and also for those drawn to contemplative practices who would not call themselves Buddhists.

Our time together will follow the traditional structure of a vision quest. In addition, Natasha will host three post-quest Zoom sharing circles, offering space to share and reflect on how Buddhist practice and philosophy intersect with the tradition of the vision quest through your experiences on the land.

This summer ‘26, I will undertake a quest myself - for the first time consciously weaving in the threads of my Buddhist practice with this land-based ceremony.

“She sees that the flower is alive, joyously alive, even as she is alive, and that there works through the frail perfection of its leaves and blossoms the same spirit of life whose creative impulse she feels pulsing in the depths of her very own being. ”— Bhante

Our twelve day programme will held within a secluded and remote location in southern Crete. The land we stay on is beside the ocean and below the mountains.

Over ten years ago we came upon this very special place which is still barely touched by modern fast paced life.

The elemental landscape reflects the four directions map that will accompany our days. With the rising sun in the East (Fire), the sea to the South (Water), the caves and deep gorges to the West (Earth) and the majestic eagle and griffon vulture found in these Asterousian mountains to the North (Air).

If something in this resonates with you, we would genuinely love to hear from you.

We have created a four tier sliding scale cost, especially for this quest to include more financially accessible options for those who might not otherwise be able to attend.

Do I need to be a Buddhist to join?

No, you don’t need to be a Buddhist to join. We welcome anyone who resonates with other contemplative or Buddhist practices.

Contact me for an informal chat or to book a place

Group size

min. 4 and max. 10 participants

Costs

Seminar Fee

Sliding scale: £650 | £950 | £1150 (750 / 1100 / 1350 Euros)

Accomodation (extra): £190 - £330 

Self-catering and travel costs (extra)

Travelling by plane to Heraklion (coming by car and ferry is possible), from there Bus to Mires, we will pick you up at Mires and move on to the remote land of the Fast 

Guides

Werner Pilz and Natasha Faye Lythgoe

Where

Asterousias-Mountains, Crete, Greece

Infos and Registration

W. Pilz / 0049 179 5998152 / w.pilz@mailbox.org

Natasha Lythgoe / natashafayelythgoe@gmail.com

theartofrewilding.com

Art Credit: with thanks to Tserin Sherpa for the use of his painting.